Our Chicken Parmesan Subs Recipe is a stand-out dish you can enjoy for lunch or dinner. It doesn’t get any better with crispy chicken, marinara sauce, and melty cheese, all on a toasted roll!
I know what you are thinking; chicken parmesan takes a long time with much effort. There is a little bit involved, but they are really not hard at all; with our Chicken Parmesan Subs Recipe, we will show you how easy chicken parm sandwiches are to make!
Look, we all love easy dinner ideas. Our recipe today seems intimidating, but it’s actually really easy.
All you have to do is set up your breading station and coat your boneless skinless chicken breast cutlets (or chicken thighs! More on that later…), and pan-fry them in a little vegetable oil until golden brown.
Make the garlic bread (which is totally optional, btw), top with marinara or pasta sauce, add your chicken and cheese, wrap in foil, and bake until the cheese melts and it’s ooey gooey.
If that doesn’t have you salivating, then I don’t know what will!
This Chicken Parmesan Subs Recipe is a knock-out delicious meal. You’ll fall in love with this epic sandwich with just one bite.
Some of our other favorite chicken recipes we have on our site include Popcorn Chicken, Chinese Chicken Recipe, and Italian Lemon Chicken Foil Packet.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
- A classic sandwich everyone loves, perfect for picky eaters at dinner time.
- A straightforward approach helps this come together.
- Ready in under an hour, making it perfect for lunch or dinner.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED (SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST FOR THE FULL RECIPE):
- All-purpose flour
- Garlic salt
- Onion powder
- Black pepper
- Large eggs
- Water
- Plain panko breadcrumbs
- Grated parmesan cheese
- Italian seasoning
- Chicken cutlets
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Hoagie rolls, French rolls, or crusty bread rolls
- Unsalted butter, very soft
- Garlic powder
- Marinara sauce or pasta sauce
- Shredded mozzarella cheese
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN PARMESAN SUBS RECIPE:
- First, we need to get out breading station ready. In a medium-sized shallow bowl, stir the all-purpose flour, garlic salt, onion powder, and black pepper together until well mixed.
- In a second medium-sized shallow bowl, whisk the eggs with the water.
- In a large bowl, stir together the panko breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning.
- Set up your breading station by placing the chicken cutlets, flour mixture bowl, egg mixture bowl, and bread crumb mixture bowl next to each other. Have a baking sheet lined with parchment paper close by.
- Place one chicken cutlet into the flour mixture. Press it in to coat it evenly. Then, shake off any excess flour.
- Dip the chicken cutlet into the egg mixture to coat it evenly. Allow any excess egg to drip back into the bowl.
- Place the chicken cutlet into the breadcrumb mixture. Gently press the breadcrumbs in so they stick all over. Shake off any excess breadcrumbs. Place the breaded chicken cutlet onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining unbreaded chicken cutlet pieces.
- Once all of the chicken is breaded, add about ¼ inch of vegetable oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Now is also the time to preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Once the oil is hot (around 350°F), fry the chicken in batches, making sure it is not touching.
- You will fry the chicken for 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown, crispy, and the internal temperature reach 165°F.
- Place the crispy chicken on a paper towel-lined plate to soak up any excess oil. Immediately place the piece of chicken on a wire rack over a sheet tray while you fry the remaining pieces of chicken to prevent the breading from getting soggy.
- While you are frying the chicken, cut the hoagie rolls (or other crusty bread rolls if using) almost all the way in half, lengthwise, gently open them, and place them cut side up onto a large sheet tray.
- In a small bowl, stir together the butter, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Smear the butter evenly over the exposed bread.
- Place the baking sheet in the oven for 3 minutes to lightly toast the bread.
- Spread about 2 tablespoons of the warm marinara sauce on both the top and bottom of the bread. Sprinkle half of the shredded mozzarella cheese on top of the bottom piece of bread.
- Add a piece of crispy chicken on top of the shredded mozzarella cheese and smear another 2 tablespoons of sauce on top of the chicken. Top with the remaining shredded mozzarella cheese. Gently close the sandwich as best you can.
- Take a large piece of foil and spray it lightly with cooking spray. Wrap a sub with the foil loosely and place it back on the sheet tray; repeat with the remaining subs.
- Bake for an additional 12-15 minutes until the cheese is melted and the sandwich is warm throughout. Serve with the extra marinara or pasta sauce on the side for dipping.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RECIPE:
DO I HAVE TO USE PANKO BREADCRUMBS?
We prefer using panko bread crumbs, but ultimately no, you don’t have to.
You can use plain breadcrumbs in their place.
However, I would not use any “Italian seasoned” breadcrumbs of any kind, we are seasoning the breadcrumb mixture ourselves in this recipe, so they aren’t needed.
DO I HAVE TO USE MARINARA SAUCE?
No, you can use any tomato-based pasta sauce. Think of this recipe as a general guideline to make it your own.
Our favorite jarred marinara sauce is Rao’s, but you can use your favorite store-bought marinara or any pasta sauce you like.
You can even use your own homemade version, just make sure it is 24 ounces and warm.
WHAT OTHER SUBSTITUTIONS CAN I USE?
Instead of chicken cutlets, you can use other cuts of chicken. I suggest:
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs
- Chicken tenderloins
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts, just make sure you cut them in half lengthwise or use a meat mallet to pound them out thinner.
In place of shredded mozzarella:
- Sliced mozzarella
- Sliced fresh mozzarella
- Sliced provolone cheese
- Shredded provolone cheese
Add some fresh basil leaves for an added pop of flavor to this already great recipe.
WHAT IS ON A CHICKEN PARMESAN SUB?
Basic chicken parmesan sandwiches are a classic Italian dish that includes a sub roll, crispy fried chicken, tomato/marinara/pasta sauce, and some kind of cheese, either mozzarella or provolone.
This is the recipe for the best chicken parm sandwich I’ve had, I’ve done a couple of things to elevate the flavor to make this our favorite recipe.
To set it apart from the basics, I’ve made the bread on homemade garlic bread, heavily seasoned the coating for the chicken, and wrapped the sandwich in foil to toast it, so it doesn’t dry out, and you get that melty cheese.
These little touches and Italian flavors truly make it unique and crave-worthy.
DO I HAVE TO USE EGGS?
I highly recommend using eggs, but if for some reason you don’t have them or can’t use them, here are some substitutes:
- Heavy cream
- Buttermilk
- Sour cream
- Plain yogurt
- Melted butter
- Mayonnaise
If using a liquid, you can just place it in a bowl as the egg mixture with no water and dip the chicken in it.
If using one of the thicker options, I would suggest using a pastry brush and lightly brushing the outside of the chicken with it, so there isn’t a thick coating. You only need a light layer to get the bread crumb mixture to stick.
HOW TO STORE:
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
The best way to reheat leftovers is to wrap the sandwich in foil and place it back into the oven until warm.
Freeze for up to 3 months. Once the sub has come to room temperature, wrap it in plastic wrap and then freezer-safe aluminum foil.
Place leftovers in the freezer in a freezer-safe container. To thaw, place the dish in the fridge overnight.
DANA’S TIPS AND TRICKS:
- This makes 4 large sandwiches, but you can easily double it to feed more or halve the recipe as needed.
- Tons of custom options, see my tips above on that.
- This freezes well, see my tips above on how to store.
- Use your favorite store-bought or homemade marinara or pasta sauce.
Want that total crowd-pleasing recipe that will knock it out of the park every time? This Chicken Parmesan Subs Recipe is an easy dinner the whole family will love!
If you like this recipe, you might also like:
If you’ve tried this CHICKEN PARMESAN SUBS RECIPE, let me know how it turned out in the comments! You can follow me over on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK to find some more of our mouthwatering recipes!
Chicken Parmesan Subs Recipe
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- splash water
- 1 & 1/4 cups plain panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 4 chicken cutlets
- vegetable oil for frying
For the rolls
- 4 hoagie rolls
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter very soft
- 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
For assembly
- 24 ounces warm marinara sauce
- 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- First, we need to get out breading station ready. In a medium-sized shallow bowl, stir the all-purpose flour, garlic salt, onion powder, and black pepper together until well mixed.
- In a second medium-sized shallow bowl, whisk the eggs with the water.
- In a large bowl, stir together the panko breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning.
- Set up your breading station by placing the chicken cutlets, flour mixture bowl, egg mixture bowl, and bread crumb mixture bowl next to each other. Have a baking sheet lined with parchment paper close by.
- Place one chicken cutlet into the flour mixture. Press it in to coat it evenly. Then, shake off any excess flour.
- Dip the chicken cutlet into the egg mixture to coat it evenly. Allow any excess egg to drip back into the bowl.
- Place the chicken cutlet into the breadcrumb mixture. Gently press the breadcrumbs in so they stick all over. Shake off any excess breadcrumbs. Place the breaded chicken cutlet onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining unbreaded chicken cutlet pieces.
- Once all of the chicken is breaded, add about ¼ inch of vegetable oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Now is also the time to preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Once the oil is hot (around 350°F), fry the chicken in batches, making sure it is not touching.
- You will fry the chicken for 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown, crispy, and the internal temperature reach 165°F.
- Place the crispy chicken on a paper towel-lined plate to soak up any excess oil. Immediately place the piece of chicken on a wire rack over a sheet tray while you fry the remaining pieces of chicken to prevent the breading from getting soggy.
- While you are frying the chicken, cut the hoagie rolls (or other crusty bread rolls if using) almost all the way in half, lengthwise, gently open them, and place them cut side up onto a large sheet tray.
- In a small bowl, stir together the butter, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Smear the butter evenly over the exposed bread.
- Place the baking sheet in the oven for 3 minutes to lightly toast the bread.
- Spread about 2 tablespoons of the warm marinara sauce on both the top and bottom of the bread. Sprinkle half of the shredded mozzarella cheese on top of the bottom piece of bread.
- Add a piece of crispy chicken on top of the shredded mozzarella cheese and smear another 2 tablespoons of sauce on top of the chicken. Top with the remaining shredded mozzarella cheese. Gently close the sandwich as best you can.
- Take a large piece of foil and spray it lightly with cooking spray. Wrap a sub with the foil loosely and place it back on the sheet tray; repeat with the remaining subs.
- Bake for an additional 12-15 minutes until the cheese is melted and the sandwich is warm throughout. Serve with the extra marinara or pasta sauce on the side for dipping.
Video
Notes
- This makes 4 large sandwiches, but you can easily double it to feed more or halve the recipe as needed.
- Tons of custom options, see my tips above on that.
- This freezes well, see my tips above on how to store.
- Use your favorite store-bought or homemade marinara or pasta sauce.
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